How to Grill the Perfect Steak

Season your meat, light the grill, and get ready to savor what summer is all about

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Six Tips on Grilling the Perfect Steak.

It’s summer grilling season, and what better to take advantage of the warm weather than by grilling a juicy steak and some fresh vegetables and throwing together a crisp salad? Whether you’re firing up the grill for an Independence Day barbecue or hosting a summer cookout, executive chef Cenobio Canalizo, of Michael Jordan’s The Steakhouse NYC, has some grilling tips to help your steaks achieve nothing short of perfection.

As Michael Jordan stated, “I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. This isn’t just true on the court. At Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C., The Glaziers take this intense approach to the food. That passion drives to the ultimate goal – the perfect steak – Bone-In Rib Eye, my favorite cut, grilled to perfection with a charred exterior and a warm, juicy center, creating a smell and sizzle that’s synonymous with summer.”

So season your meat, light the grill, and get ready to savor what summer is all about.

Start with High Heat…: Steak cooks best over high heat, so preheat the grill and get it roaring to go. Bring your meat to room temperature before grilling to help it cook quickly and evenly. If the steak stays on the grill too long, it loses moisture, so the goal is to get it on fast and then off the heat the moment it’s done.

…. But Don’t Let it Burn: You want to avoid flare-ups and burns and attain that perfect char. Coat your steaks with a little safflower oil — but not so much that it drips onto the coals. The oil will protect the meat with its naturally high smoke point.

Season Assertively…: Don’t hold back: season your steaks with a healthy amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. These basics bring out the flavor. Then, after the meat is cooked and is ready to serve, finish it with coarse sea salt. You can add some fresh, finely chopped herbs. The key is to season as you go.

…. And Butter it Up: To raise your steak to a level of rich beauty, make a compound butter to top it with. Compound butter is a mixture of softened butter with your favorite flavorful ingredient. Some examples of winning mix-ins are fresh herbs, chipotle, diced truffle, roasted garlic, cognac, fresh herbs… the possibilities are endless. These blends are a steakhouse tradition — chefs often have their own signature combo — classically called maître d’hôtel butter. Add it when the steak is off the grill.

Let it Rest…: Even if your friends are circling the pit, hungry for the steak, it’s extremely important to let it rest — ideally for half its cooking time. This gives the meat’s moisture a chance to evenly distribute throughout the steak — if you cut it too soon, all the natural juice will spill out and be lost.

…. Now Slice and Serve! It’s time for the payoff — slice carefully, and always against the grain. Cutting against the grain ensures maximum tenderness — this way the muscle fibers are short and buttery soft. If you’re serving a crowd, it’s fun to grill larger cuts to slice, serve and share. Not only are these cuts economical, they are also impressive to show off — they look and taste great.